Lion tales

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3 SAND RIVER MALES

*This image is copyright of its original author

3 males, born in Skukuza/Hilda's Rock pride around Skukuza , exact birth date is unknown, but its estimated around 2008, who sired by Old Skukuza males.

They started their nomadic lives in 2012 and headed north into Sabi Sands. South of Sabi Sands was dominated by 2 powerful KNP males Freddy and Limper, while central was dominant by ruthless 4 Majingilane lions.

They've had close encounter with Majingilane lions after exploring their territory in Londolozi in October 2012, 2 young males flee while 1 was caught and only pure luck saved him from certaint death, as Majingilanes wasnt that interested into killing him. That male lion was the most famous of their coalition and is know under the name "Bent Spine" :

As 3 young males realize that Majingilanes are too powerful for them, they retreat further south in their origins territory around Skukuza and south Sabi Sands, where powerful Freddy lost his coalition partner Limper in a battle vs Mapogos and is left alone to defend massive Southern Pride.

But before settling their eyes on a big prize of Southern Pride, in early 2013 they take Skukuza/Hildas Rock pride, which was previously holded by their fathers Old Skukuza males, and they ousted their 4 half brothers Skukuza males, later known as Kumana males ( a lot of people can confuse this 2 coalitions, because 3 Sand River males where also called Skukuza males, just like 4 Skukuza/Hildas Rock males, later be know as Kumana males in the north). Idk how many cubs they sired with Skukuza/Hildas Rock pride, but eventually that whole pride around 2015/16 was killed off by Southern Pride, leaving only 1 young male alive, Hildas Rock male of DeLaporte coalition.

In mid 2013 they invade Freddy territory, Freddy who was in big truble already, strugling to hold on big Southern Pride, they where a lot of spliting in the pride, females mating with Sparta males Solo and Cleo and 4 young Skukuza males, more on this Londolozi blog :

https://blog.londolozi.com/2013/06/18/li...ide-split/

But he still manages to defend the pride from invaders and against 3 Sand River males:

But eventually towards the end of 2013, 3 Sand River males win against other challengers, chasing away 4 Skukuza males and 2 Sparta males Solo and Cleo, injuring Solo in the proccess and invade Freddy, who lost
control of Southern Pride and become nomad, partnering with his former enemy Solo, who also lost his partner Cleo by the theets of Selati males.

The new kings of south Sabi Sands and big Southern pride where 3 Sand River males. 

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

Bent Spine:

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

A lot of young males where starting to hang out around their territory in 2014 and 2015 like 2 Fourways males and 2 Charleston males, even younger, this new males where big and very confident :

But they held their territory and pride, manage to sire 15 cubs with Southern Pride,unfortunately none of the cubs survived to adulthood. 

Until mid to late 2015, when invading Fourways where seen starting to mate with their lionesses, followed by 2 Charleston males, and all 3 coalitions begin to fight for Southern pride, of which 2 Fourways male get the upper hand. 

https://www.sabisabi.com/blog/8050/lions-of-sabi-sabi/
 
Sand River males decided to retreat further south into their territory in Kruger, abandoning Southern Pride. 

They also lost 1 member around that time, rumors where that he was killed by buffaloes in a buffalo hunt. 

In 2016 they spend their time around Skukuza, its unknown at that time if they had pride or where nomads. But sightings of them where less and less, and by arrival of Mantimahles towards the end of 2016 in this area, its been rumor that 1 off them was killed by Mantimahles, while the last one run away from this area, deeper into Kruger, his fate is unknown... 

I hope you guys enjoy this story of Sand River males, who are very underrated and mysterious lions, they where warriors from their young days, but unfortunately lived in a timeline of big warzone in south Sabi Sands, which lasted almost whole decade, ultimately decimating massive Southern Pride, which is now left on only 1 lioness. Reply